Steering apparatus.



' J. L. JOHNSON STEERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22,1916.

1,224,549. Patented May 1, 1917.

gln uc'n fox JOHN L. JOHNSON, 0F NEKOMA, KANSAS.

' STEERING APPARATUS.

Original application filed April 29, 1916, Serial No. 94,377.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1, 1217.

Divided and this application filed July 22, 1916.

Serial No. 110,714.

To all whom it may canoe 1m.

Be it known that 1, JOHN L. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nekoma, in the county of Bush and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a steerin structure for grain headers, and is a ivision from the application upon a grain header filed April 29, 1916, Serial No. 94,377.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel structure for steering or guiding the travel of grain headers, which include supporting wheels that are mounted upon the ordinary type of supporting axles, and to provide rings or fifth-wheels which are rotatable in a horizontal plane and rotatably support the axles, so that the supporting wheels may be guided by the rotation of the horizontal fifth-wheels; and to connect a rack bar structure to the fifth-wheels, which rack bar structure has a gear connected thereto for moving it longitudinally.

With the foregoing and other objects in view this invention consists in such novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters designate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view showing the improved structure applied to a grain header.

Figi. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 an Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates the header structure as an entirety, which is specifically described in the application for Letters Patent filed April 29, 1916, Serial No. 94,377. The header structure 1 includes the usual type of reciprocatory cutter bar 2 and conveyer 3 and also a supporting frame 4. The supporting frame 4 has platforms 5 and 6 carried thereby which platforms are in turn provided with centrally disposed circular openings 7 in which are rotatably mounted horizontally positioned fifth-wheel structures 8. The platforms 5 and 6 overhang the upper edges of the lower portions 9 of the fifth-wheel structures as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. Cleats 10 are attached to the under surface of the supporting frame 1 and engage the under surfaces of the lower sections 9 of the fifth-wheel structures 8 for preventing the fifth-wheel structures from moving downwardly.

Bearing boxes 11 are attached to the under surfaces of the lower sections 9 of the fifthwheel structures 8, and they rotatably support axles 12 upon which supporting wheels 18 are mounted.

A pair of bars 14 and 15 are positioned upon the sides of each of the supporting wheels13, and they extend upwardly from the axle 12. Brace rods 16 are connected to blocks 17, which connect the upper ends of each pair of the bars 14 and 15. The brace rods 16 extend downwardly and are connected to the fifth-wheel as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Eye bolts 18 are attached to the fifthwheel structures, and they have rods 19 connected thereto, which rods are in turn connected to the opposite ends of a rack bar 20 which is slidably carried by a suitable supporting block 21. The teeth 22 of the rack bar 20 are provided for meshing engagement with the peripheral teeth of a gear 23 which is mounted upon a shaft 24. The shaft 24 extends rearwardly of the supporting frame 1 and is connected through the medium of a universal joint 25 to a shaft 26 which extends rearwardly from the header structure 1 to a tractor or other device employed for propelling the header structure, so that the operator of the tractor may steer the direction of the header 1.

lVhen it is desired to change the direction of travel of the header, the shaft 26 is rotated, which will rotate the shaft 24 and consequently the gear 23, for moving the rack 20 longitudinally. The longitudinal move ment of the rack 20 will rotate the fifthwheel structures 8 in a horizontal plane, owing to the connection between the rack bar and the fifth-wheel structures through the medium of the rods 19. The rotary movement of the fifth-wheel structures 8, will move the supporting wheels 13, in unison, and consequently guide the direction of travel of the header.

From the foregoing description taken in connection With the accompanyin drawings the advantages of construction and of the method of operation of the improved steering structure Will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to Which this invention appertains, and While in the f(. r(. going description, the principle of the operation or this invention has been described together with various features of construction, it is to be understood that certain minor features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be altered to suit practical conditions provided such alterations are comprehended Within the scope of What is claimed.

lVhat is claimed is 1. In a steering structure, the combina tion, of a supporting frame, a pair of fifth- Wheels carried by said supporting frame for rotation in a horizontal plane, supporting Wheels rotatably carried by said fifth-Wheels, a rack bar slidably carried by said supporting frame, means connecting said rack bar to said fifth-Wheels, for partially rotating the fifth Wheels in unison upon slidable movement of said rack bar, and means for moving said rack bar.

2. In a steering structure, the combination, of a supporting frame, fifth-Wheel structures carried by said supporting frame and rotatable in a horizontal plane, sup-' porting Wheels rotatable in a vertical plane carried by said fifth-Wheel structures, a rack bar slidably carried by said supporting frame, rods connected to the end of said rack bar and tosaid fifth-Wheel structures for rotating the fifth-Wheel structures in unison upon slidable movement of the rack bar, a gear meshing With said rack bar, a shaft supporting said gear and adapted for rotation for rotating the gear and moving the rack bar.

3. In a steering structure, the combination, of a supporting frame, fifth Wheel structures carried by said supporting frame and rotatable in a horizontal plane, axles rotatably carried by said fifth Wheel structures, bracing means connected to said fifth Wheel structures and said axle for bracing the axle, supporting Wheels mounted upon said axle, a rack bar slidably carried by said supporting frame, rods connecting the ends of said rack bar to said fifth Wheel structures, and means for moving said rack bar longitudinally for partially rotating said fifth Wheel structures.

In testimony Whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN L. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

ALCANZAR E. CURREND, EARL A. J OHNSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0." 

